Japan has resumed commercial whaling after a hiatus of over three decades. Commercial whaling was banned in 1986 by an International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium. However, Japan withdrew from the IWC in December. Japan's government has promised all whalers will stay within 320 kilometers from its coast. The Japanese fisheries agency set a quota for killing 227 whales every six months. In the first days of resumed whaling, whalers caught two minke whales, which were taken to the northern port of Kushiro. The whale meat was auctioned in Tokyo and sold for record prices. Eager restaurant owners snapped up the meat at prices of up to $140 per kilo.

日本在中断了30多年后恢复了商业捕鲸。1986年，国际捕鲸委员会(IWC)暂停了商业捕鲸。然而，日本在12月退出了国际捕鲸委员会。日本政府已承诺所有捕鲸船将停留在距海岸320公里以内。日本渔业局制定了每六个月捕杀227头鲸鱼的配额。在恢复捕鲸的最初几天，捕鲸者捕获了两条小须鲸，它们被带到北部的库什罗港。鲸鱼肉在东京拍卖，以创纪录的价格出售。热心的餐馆老板以每公斤140美元的价格抢购这些肉。

Japan has engaged in the practice of whaling for centuries. Whale restaurant chef Mitsuo Tani summed up why he thought the return of commercial whaling was important. He said: "A country that does not preserve its food culture has no future." He also promoted the health benefits of whale meat. He said: "It is five times lower in calories than beef, 10 times lower in cholesterol, two times less fat than chicken and it's packed with iron. But abroad, people do not know this." However, Japan's return to whaling has brought international outcry. The Humane Society accused Japan of starting a "new and shocking era of pirate whaling". It added: "This is a sad day for whale protection globally."

日本从事捕鲸已经有几个世纪了。鲸鱼餐厅的厨师Mitsuo Tani总结了他认为商业捕鲸的回归很重要的原因。他说：“一个不保存其饮食文化的国家没有前途。”他还促进了鲸鱼肉对健康的益处。他说：“它的卡路里比牛肉低五倍，胆固醇低十倍，脂肪比鸡肉少两倍，而且里面充满了铁。但在国外，人们并不知道这一点。”然而，日本重返捕鲸业引起了国际社会的强烈抗议。人道社会指责日本开始了“海盗捕鲸的新的令人震惊的时代”。它补充说：“这是全球保护鲸鱼的可悲的一天。”